Kyandi: Holiday greetings, my dear readers.
Rette: We return with chapters and pictures for you all.
Kyandi: That's right! Everyone go to tezzymoon. deviantart. com to see pictures of Rette, all hand drawn by your's truly.
Rette: And for those of you who go to look at the pictures, there is a spoiler.
Kyandi: Right! All of you know, by now, that in A Different Choice, Rette's love interest is Laxus, but I have yet to reveal her love interest for this story line. One of the pictures I posted will reveal who her love interest is. Enjoy them!
Rette: With that said, let's move on.
Kyandi: Right. Everyone enjoy and review, and check out the pictures.
Rette: Kyandi-sama does not own Fairy Tail.
Chapter 37 Day One
"You guys...where have you been wandering around up till now!?"
Rette could have told her teammates, the moment they walked into the room, that they were going to be in trouble. Erza had given them a certain time to be back and they had come back way after that. So while Natsu, Lucy, and Gray sat on the floor in front of Erza, Rette sat in a chair with Thyme, watching in amusement.
"Just another boring dinner..." Gray answered, looking off to the side.
"Well...it's complicated...well...I mean...err..." Lucy said, also looking to the side.
Natsu didn't say anything, but he was shaking slightly. Both him and Happy were letting off an air of being highly annoyed. It made her wonder what had happened while they were out. Finally, the two could hold their annoyance in, no more.
"I'm gonna get those guys back, no matter what!" they shouted together.
Rette was curious as to who they were talking about. Had they run into another member of another team? Or was it locals laughing at them again?
"Anyway, where's Wendy?" Erza asked.
"She's late." Gray agreed.
"She should be with Carla, so I don't think they're lost." Happy remarked.
"It's almost midnight, though...that little girl is out there all alone...aaahhhh...what should we do..." Lucy remarked, her imagination getting away from her.
"Do all writers have this overactive imagination?" Gray asked.
"It's Wendy, Lucy. She has Carla with her and she's a pretty smart girl. I doubt she's doing anything bad." Rette remarked from where she sat.
Just then the door to the room opened and Lisanna and Elfman walked in, bringing drinks and snacks with them. In the time they had been gone for training, Elfman had considerably bulked up and now had to duck and turn side ways to fit through the door.
"Yo! We brought snacks." Elfman said in greeting.
"Tomorrow's almost here." Lisanna added.
"Are you back from you mountain stay?" Natsu asked.
"We planned on it increasing our strength a lot...but we made a bad choice..." Elfman said, complaining about how he had wanted to show off in the games for his little sister.
Rette shook her head. She didn't see the point in wanting to show off for a certain person. Yes, Rette, herself, like to do things big and flashy, but she mostly did that to prove that she couldn't be so easily pushed over or when she was sure she could shine just as brightly as the person next to her. It was merely a means to an end. Lucy turned to Lisanna then.
"Hey, do you mind if I ask you a favor?" Lucy asked.
"What?" Lisanna asked as she sat the bag of snacks down.
"Well...Wendy hasn't come back to our lodging yet..." Lucy told her.
"We probably shouldn't go anywhere after twelve." Gray added.
"What happens at twelve?" Lisanna asked.
"I'm not really sure, but the rule said to "be here at twelve"." Gray replied.
The clock chimed then, signalling that it was midnight. Everyone turned to look at the clock on the wall. Rette got to her feet, holding Thyme in her arms.
"Looks like we're about to find out what happens." Rette remarked.
For a moment, nothing happened. The city beyond the room's window, was silent. Then suddenly a loud voice filled the room, driving them all out onto the balcony. From there they could see spotlights lighting up the sky where a large, pumpkin headed mascot stood.
"To all the guilds here for the Grand Magic Games! Good morning! In order to reduce the participating teams from one hundred and thirteen down to eight...we will now begin a "preliminary event"." the mascot announced.
"Preliminary!?" Gray asked.
"No one said anything about that!" Erza added.
Rette, personally, couldn't believe the amount of guilds that had signed up for the Grand Magic Games. She hadn't even known that there was that many guilds in Fiore.
"Every year more and more guilds come. That's a sign that this event was starting to be taken too lightly. This year, we've brought the number of final competing teams down to eight. The preliminary rules are simple!" the mascot said.
Rette and her friends were suddenly tossed about as the building began to shake. Their lodgings, just like those of every guild taking part, suddenly rose into the air, above the rest of the city. Stairs formed, leading from the balconies of all the competing guilds' rooms. Those stairs all joined together to form a large sphere of pathways, half of which were side ways or upside down.
"You will all now compete with each other. The goal is the event grounds, Domus Flau. The first eight to make it will participate in the event. Your lodgings will be the starting line for this preliminary event. Feel free to use any magic you like. There are no restrictions. As long as you're one of the first eight teams to make it. But if all five of your members don't make it there, you still lose. And one more thing...we take no responsibility for anyone who loses their life in the labyrinth." the mascot announced. "The Grand Magic Game's preliminary event! Sky Labyrinth has begun!"
All of them stared up at the large sphere shaped labyrinth in the sky.
"What is that?" Natsu asked.
"So we're trying to make it up there to the goal?" Lucy asked.
"If this is a competition, we'd better hurry." Gray agreed.
"Wait. The rules are that "five members" need to be at the goal. Wendy is still missing." Erza said.
That could be a problem. Rette was just about to offer to take her place, but Elfman scooped up Gray, Natsu, Lucy, and Erza and charged up the stairs, declaring that he would take Wendy's place. Erza twisted to look back at the balcony.
"Lisanna! Rette! Happy, Thyme! Go look for Wendy! And try to stay out of trouble!" Erza called back.
"Okay! We'll go see who all of the guild members are here." Lisanna called back.
"Good luck, everybody!" Happy added.
When the five were out of sight, Lisanna and Rette turned to look at each other. They nodded before turning on their heels and heading out of the room.
"Thyme and I will go track Wendy, you and Happy tell the others." Rette told Lisanna.
Lisanna nodded and the four of them split up into two teams. Rette took off out an open window, her wings of light sprouting from her back. Together, she and Thyme flew through the air in search of their friend. She followed the trail of Wendy's and Carla's magical energies. She had just traced it to the gardens of the king's palace when Lisanna and Happy caught up to her.
"Rette!"
Rette turned to see the two heading her way.
"Have you found them?" Lisanna asked.
"No, but they're somewhere around here. I just don't know where. Their magical trail just suddenly died." Rette told her.
"What does that mean?" Lisanna asked worried.
"It could be various of things. She could have drained herself of magic by using it, someone else could have drained her magic, and several other things." Rette told her.
"Then we best get to looking." Lisanna said.
With a nod, the four head off, searching on foot. Rette knew Wendy and Carla were somewhere in the gardens, it was just a matter of finding where. She just hoped the two were alright.
"Where did Wendy and Carla get off to?" Lisanna voiced after a while.
"Ah! Over there!" Happy, spotting something, pointed off down a side path.
They all turned and looked. Half way down the path lay the bag that Wendy had been carrying when she had split off from the others. Rette and Lisanna looked at each other before hurrying down the path, the exceeds following behind them. They picked up the bag as they passed it. Rette was starting to worry, but they found both Wendy and Carla passed out by a bush just a little further down the path. Rette crouched down next to them, checking them out.
"Are they alright?" Lisanna asked.
"That I can tell, yeah. Lets get them to the infirmary to make sure." Rette said, glancing around.
She felt a different, unknown magical energy that didn't feel too friendly. She had a feeling that it might have been the cause behind Wendy's and Carla's sudden collapse.
With some help from Lisanna, they draped Wendy over Rette's back and Lisanna picked up Carla. Together they carted the two to the infirmary where they could be looked after. When they were safely tucked into bed, Rette sent Thyme to inform the others of the current situation and then to go find one other person. It wasn't long before Natsu, Lucy, Elfman, Erza, and Gray came bursting in through the door.
"Wendy!" Natsu shouted.
"She was passed out by some bushes." Happy told him.
"There's no signs of external wounds." Lisanna added.
"Might not be any signs of external wounds, but I can't feel their magic at all." Rette remarked, a hand hovering over Wendy's form. "If Wendy had used all her magic, herself, there would still be some sign of magic in them, but I'm not getting a thing. Someone else did this to them."
Rette didn't like the feeling. She couldn't think of it meaning anything good. Just then Wendy cracked open her eyes and called Natsu lowly. Everyone turned to her, Natsu demanding to know what happened.
"I'm sorry...I can't remember very well..." Wendy said, wincing as she tried to move.
Rette pushed her back into the pillow, settling the blanket back around her.
"This must be magic power deficiency. Losing such a huge amount of magical power at once causes the entire body's physical strength to suffer."
Everyone turned as Porlyusica walked into the room.
"If she rest for a while, she should recover." Porlyusica told them.
"I see Thyme was successful in finding you." Rette said in greeting to the woman.
"Yes. Quite the persistent little feline." Porlyusica said, turning her eyes to the little silver cat.
"What are you doing here!?" Lisanna asked the old woman.
"Am I not allowed to come cheer you on?" Porlyusica asked.
"Of course you are." Lisanna replied.
"A huge amount of magical power?" Erza asked.
"What could have happened..." Elfman mused.
"I can't remember too clearly...but I seem to recall some black creature..." Wendy said lowly.
"I did sense a strange magical energy in the area around them and, as I said, for that much magical power to vanish so suddenly and completely, it had to be the work of an outside source." Rette remarked.
"Could you place it?" Erza asked.
Rette shook her head. It wasn't a magical energy she knew, therefore she couldn't tell them who or what it had been. Wendy grit her teeth, her tiny fist curling under the blanket. She felt like she was letting them all down and had tears in her eyes when she turned her head to look at them.
"Everyone...I'm sorry...Even after...everything with the training...I can't be a part of the team." Wendy said, teary eyed. "Elfman...please go in my place."
"Of course! Just leave it to me." Elfman agreed.
With that Porlyusica kicked them out of the room, insisting that Wendy needed her sleep. The old woman turned her eyes on Rette when she was the last one in the room. Rette held up her hands, showing she would go willingly. Before she left, she turned her eyes to Wendy.
"Just do as Porlyusica tells you, Wendy. She knows what she's doing. And don't worry. The event last for seven days. I have no doubt she'll have you fixed up before the end of the Games. Just rest." Rette told the girl.
Wendy gave her a smile and nodded. Rette pat her head, gave Porlyusica a grateful bow of her head and left the room. Rette joined the rest of her guild mates in the small section of the stands they occupied. She slipped in beside Lisanna, turning her eyes towards the arena below as the roar of the crowd filled her ears.
"The time has finally come, this year! The annual festival of magic! The Grand Magic Games! I'm your announcer, Chapati Lola. And former council member Mr. Yajima has joined us as commentator. Thank you for being here, Mr. Yajima." the announcer called out.
"My pleasure." Yajima replied.
"For day one's guest, we've invited the sparkling Miss Fiore, Jenny Realight of Blue Pegasus." Chapati added.
"We're gonna win this year, so look out!" came the cheerful voice of the young woman.
"The team members have finally entered. First off is the preliminary round's eight place. Will they be able to reclaim their past glory? Contrary to their name, they're the wild, rowdy Fairy Tail!" Chapati announced.
Rette looked below as Natsu lead his team of Gray, Lucy, Erza, and Elfman, onto the feild. Instantly boos filled the arena, people giving them a thumbs down.
"Even though they've gotten last place every single year, Fairy Tail managed to claw their way through the preliminaries. Though of course, they made it in eighth place. With the return of "Team Tenrou" who have been causing trouble all over the place, can they possibly become the top of Fiore!?" Chapati announced.
"I'm so glad to see you all..congratulations Fairy Tail." Yajima called, giving a thumbs up.
At least one person was on their side.
To make it better, all of Rette's guild mates around her screamed their cheers for their guild mates below. Makarov climbed onto the guard wall in front of Rette yelling out a loud cheer, Happy doing the same thing next to him. Thyme, from where she sat on Rette's shoulder, even threw her paws up in a little cheer for her friends. But about that time, Rette's attention snagged on one thing that had her eyes widening slightly.
Sitting on the guard wall at the end of their line of members, kicking her bare feet in the air and calling her own chanting cheer in support...was Mavis.
"Master Mavis!"
Shock ran through the members of the guild, Rette simply blinking in surprise. She hadn't expected to see Mavis again. And most certainly not away from Tenrou Island.
"I came to cheer you on." Mavis said simply.
"You came to cheer us on?...But you..."
Makarov trailed off, unable to find the right words to say.
"It's fine, don't worry. Only people with the guild crest on them can see me." Mavis assured them.
"I don't think that's exactly what he's worried about." Rette remarked from the other side of Makarov.
"Well...being stuck on Tenrou Island forever is really boring." Mavis replied cheerfully.
Rette turned to Lisanna on her other side.
"Is it me or have all of our masters been a little childish?" Rette asked.
Lisanna laughed and simply pat her shoulder. It had been an honest question but apparently, Lisanna hadn't taken it as such. Rette turned her attention back to the arena as Chapati announced the next team.
"Next up..is seventh place in the preliminaries...The hounds of Hell's army, Quatro Cerberus."
Down below, a group of all men dress in dog related accessories, like spiked collars around their necks, walked onto the field. Behind them came the team in sixth place which, on the opposite end of things, was pure female.
"Coming in sixth place, we have the all-female guild. The dancers of the deep blue seas, Mermaid Heel."
"A guild like that existed?!" Happy asked in surprise.
Rette didn't know how she would have done in an all-female guild. She was so use to the general rowdiness that came with her male guild mates.
"Fifth place is the azure wings that sparkle in the darkness, Blue Pegasus." Chapati called.
Ichiya lead Hibiki, Ren, Eve, and someone dressed in a large bunny costume, onto the feild. Women all over the crowd, called out squealing cheers for their favorite Blue Pegasus boy on the team and Jenny, in the announcer's box, called a cheer to her guild mates.
"Fourth place...the goddess of love and war's sacred destroyers. Lamia Scale."
Lyon lead his team, made up of Toby, Yuka, Jura, and a little girl who looked a little like Cherie, onto the field, Jura currying their team's flag on one shoulder. Their guild master yelled at them about coming in fourth, claiming they hadn't been trying hard. The girl turned around to call something back and tripped over her own feet.
"Moving on, coming in third place we have...now this is quite a surprise, in third place we have a first time-competing guild! The midnight raiders, Raven Tail!"
Rette leaned forward to get a closer look at the members of this team. It was four men and one woman. Just looking at them made Rette uneasy. They didn't look like a bunch that often played fair. Not to mention that Rette had heard of them before. Raven Tail was suppose to be a dark guild...and one lead by Makarov's son, Ivan.
"A dark guild! The Grand Magic Games is okay with letting a guild like that participate!?" Makarov yelled.
"Master, calm down!" Macao said, trying to get him to settle down.
"I do feel a malicious force." Mavis said.
"Not only that...I feel the same magic as that that was present where we found Wendy." Rette added, her voice dropping in tone as her anger started to flicker to life.
From this distance and with so many other mages in the area, Rette couldn't tell exactly which member of the team it was that the magic energy was coming from, but she knew it was the same magic energy she had sensed in the area where they had found Wendy.
"Are you sure, Rette?" Lisanna asked as their guild mates all turned to look at Rette.
"I'm never mistaken about magical energies. It's the same slimy energy alright." Rette replied.
Lisanna laid a hand on Rette's shoulder, silently trying to calm Rette before her temper could get the best of her. Rette wasn't known for being too awfully reasonable when her anger got a hold of her.
"Well, according to our official information, Raven Tail existed over seven years ago. But had only been approved as an official guild recently." Chapati announced.
"If they're approved by the Magician's League, then that means they're not a dark guild, right?" Yajima added.
Makarov growled lowly to himself.
"Damn that Ivan...He's messing with me. How did he pull this off..." Makarov growled lowly.
Rette was going to have to keep her eyes on that guild. She didn't like the feeling she got from them and she had a feeling that they were up to no good.
"There's only two teams left that made it through the preliminaries. Here we go! The team who came in second in the preliminaries...Well, now..this is definitely unexpected! Could the flapping of their fallen wings really carry them all the way here?! It's the least expected..the unbelievable...Fairy Tail B team!"
Rette blinked once as Gajeel lead Mira, Laxus, Juvia, and, to Rette's surprise...Jellal dressed as Mystogan, onto the field. The crowd seemed just as confused as the members of Fairy Tail A.
"Well, it seems as though there's a lot of people still confused over the new revisions to the rules this year, don't you think, Mr. Yajima." Chapati said.
"That's right...this year, each guild can have not just one, but two teams enter into the tournament." Yajima explained.
Makarov cheered, claiming that that was how they did it in Fairy Tail. Rette didn't put it past Makarov to pull the two teams card, but that wasn't what concerned her. Rette reached out, laying a hand on Makarov's shoulder.
"Master...what is he doing here?" Rette asked.
Of course Rette wouldn't be concerned with how they had managed to end up with two teams. She had latched onto the fact that Jellal was pretending to be Mystogan. Makarov gave her a sheepish smile, but was reduced to apologizing over and over when Mavis pointed out that Jellal wasn't a member of the guild, which was against the rules.
"But, he's not "evil". It's strange, but he has the same "heart" as everyone else with the guild crest." Mavis said.
"It's kind of a long story, but I guess you could say he is a guild member." Happy said.
"For all tends and purposes, Jellal and Mystogan are the same person, so I suppose Happy is right in that account. I just wish he wouldn't put himself in danger's way like that." Rette said, her hands going to her hips.
"Is he strong?" Mavis asked.
"O...of course! That's the man who once held the celestial title!" Makarov assured her.
"I'll allow it." Mavis said. "For Fairy Tail's victory!"
Rette heaved a sigh, running a hand through her short hair.
"She's definitely a master of our guild." Rette muttered, Jet, Droy, and Levy chiming in their agreement from behind her.
"Now, for the last team that made it through the preliminary round...that's right! You all know who they are! The strongest! The invincible! The complete dominators! Sabertooth!"
The last team to walk out was a group of four males and one female, lead by two guys about Rette's age. One, a blonde with a scar over his right eyebrow, raised his hands in the air as the crowd began screaming with delight. The other, a solemn looking guy with dark hair, stalked proudly at his side. It was an interesting looking bunch but that wasn't what caught Rette's attention. The magic she felt from the two in front...felt just like the same magic Natsu, Gajeel, Wendy, and even Rette, used.
They were Dragon Slayers.
The blonde gave Natsu a little mocking wave while Gajeel and the dark haired male had a staring contest. Rette turned around to look at Jet and Droy.
"The two in front, the blonde and the dark haired one...who are they?" Rette asked.
"The blonde is Sting and the other is Rogue. They're known as the Twin Dragons of Sabertooth." Jet replied.
"So they are Dragon Slayers. I thought so." Rette remarked, turning back.
Her eyes locked on the two. It was strange how life played out. She went from being the only Dragon Slayer she knew to meeting first Natsu, then Laxus and Gajeel, then Wendy followed by Cobra, and now Sting and Rogue. By her count, that made eight Dragon Slayers, including herself. Rette was pulled out of her thoughts as Chapati moved on to the line-up of events.
"Thank you for waiting, here is your line-up!" Chapati called.
In the center of the arena field, a stone tablet appeared from the ground. Written upon it was all five days of events. Each day, except for the last day, was divided into a contest, or a game-like event, and a battle. Day one through three had normal, one-on-one battles, with a tag team battle taking place on day four. Day five had all question marks for that would be when the big, group event took place. All the contest parts, except for the first one, were still blank.
"As far as the matches go, this is how the points will be distributed amongst first through eighth place. As the rankings fall, the amount of points received decreases." Chapati announced, a second tablet appearing.
Going down from first, the points went from ten points for first, eight points for second, six for third, four for fourth, three for fifth, two for sixth, one for seventh, and, of course, zero points for eighth place.
"For the contest part, you can select anyone from your guild to participate. For the following battle part, the organizers will pair up cards selected from the fans' votes." Chapati explained.
It was a pretty risky set up, in Rette's opinion. If the members of the teams weren't careful, they could have the bad luck of doing the contest and using up all of their magical energy, only to turn around and get picked for the battle portion. And the battle portion was pretty simple. The fighting pair had a certain time limit in which to beat their opponent. If they won, they got ten points for their team, if they lost, they got zero. But if they were unable to determine a winner in the time limit, both teams got five points.
"Without further ado, I bring you the Grand Magic Games' opening game! Let's begin, "Hidden"! Each team will have one participant. After each team submits their player, I'll explain the rules." Chapati called out.
Quatro Cerberos sent out a big guy name Yeager while Mermaid Heel went with a country looking girl named Beth. Raven Tail sent a short, pudgy looking guy named Narpuding and Blue Pegasus cheered on Eve as he stepped up to the plate. Sabertooth went with a mask guy named Rufus, who had a sort of Renaissance theme to his dress style. Lamia Scale sent Lyon, which meant Gray stepped up for Fairy Tail A which lead to Juvia stepping up for Fairy Tail B.
Rette had a feeling that this wouldn't end well for either Fairy Tail team.
All participants were called to step forward for the game. With all of them gathered, the game was started. Instantly the field was transformed into an entire city in which the participants were placed. Doubles of the participants were then spread throughout the city. The point of the game was for the participants to locate each other among the countless doubles and then attack them. If they hit an actual person, it was a point towards their score. If they hit a double, missed contact, or were hit themselves, it was minus a point.
It was an automatic point deduction for Fairy Tail B when Juvia couldn't contain herself around the various Gray doubles and hugged one from behind. She was instantly zapped for her troubles. Rette heaved a sigh.
"This is going to be a very long contest for Juvia. She simply can't contain herself." Rette remarked, some of her guild mates agreeing.
The game moved on with Gray accidentally attacking a double thinking it was Nurpuding from Raven Tail. As the game went on, it became obvious that Raven Tail was aiming for Fairy Tail. Nurpuding took every chance to attack Gray. Several of the members of Fairy Tail ended up thinking that, in the case of a game like this, it would have been best to have someone like Rette in play. She could have located the other participants quickly and easily. Not to mention that she was hard to catch or hit if she wanted to avoid something.
Rette, though she didn't say anything, gave Makarov a pointed look.
Makarov refused to look at her.
As the game went on, Juvia took out Lyon before he could get Gray and it was revealed that Makarov had offered Team B a deal. Between the two teams of Fairy Tail, at the end of the tournament, the losing team had to do whatever the members of the winning team wanted for an entire day. Rette was suddenly grateful that she wasn't apart of that. She didn't even want to start wondering what the others would make her do.
At this point, Eve stepped in to turn the playing field into a winter wonderland, hoping to freeze his competition out. This, of course, didn't work on Lyon and Gray, who were ice mages and, therefore, use to the cold. But with the drop in temperature, Eve was able to easily locate three other participants and steal a three point lead, only to lose a point when Lyon attacked him from behind. Points were exchanged, back and forth, but there was one player Rette had yet to see on the screens.
Where was Rufus?
He soon showed himself, standing on a tall roof top in the very center of the arena. He claimed he had no reason to hide and using his magic, a magic called Memory Make, he attacked all seven of the other participants at once, only missing Nurpuding, who turned around and attacked him, only to find that what he had attacked, was an after image of Rufus who had already moved out of the way. Rufus then attacked him, gaining a seven point lead for Sabertooth in almost one fell swoop.
Rette couldn't help but think that this Rufus man was a rather arrogant individual. His whole team was probably that way.
The game ended soon after with Sabertooth in first, Raven Tail in second, Lamia Scale in third, Blue Pegasus in fourth, Mermaid Heel in fifth, Quatro Cerberus in sixth, Fairy Tail B in seventh, and Fairy Tail A in eighth. Rette knew it wasn't wan't going to end well for their teams. Especially not with Juvia on the field, surrounded by a mass of Gray look-alikes. Now it was on to the battle portion of the day.
Gray, depressed with his lost, retreated, the crowd jeering at them. Natsu, angered by their mocking and taunts, got angry but Erza was able to rein him in. Gray, though, retreated to the locker rooms and the battle portion started with Lucy verses Raven Tail's Flare. Lucy went into the fight with a determined spirit that made Rette proud to be her friend.
The moment the match started, Lucy called out Taurus. Flare dodged his attack and Lucy switched Taurus out for Scorpio. Flare unraveled her braided back hair which then acted as shield for her. Apparently her magic involved her long, blood red hair. Lucy called Taurus back out, the two spirits combining their attacks to attack Flare, who barely got away. Flare's hair turned into a wolf which then attacked Lucy. Since it was hair, Lucy summoned Cancer to cut the wolf to shreds.
Which only angered Flare.
Letting her hair dig its way into the ground, Flare attacked Lucy from underneath, her hair wrapping around Lucy's ankles to twist her feet out from under her. Lucy hit the ground, but she wouldn't be taken down so easily. She pulled her Fleuve D'etoiles whip from her belt, lashing it out at Flare to wrap it around Flare's wrist. With that grip, Lucy flipped, spinning them back in the air. They both hit the ground hard, Lucy's boots torn to shreds, but at least Lucy was free. Flare, angered by the damage she had received, dug her hair into the ground again.
Lucy looked around for where the hair would pop back up, but Flare merely pointed towards the stands where the rest of the Fairy Tail guild stood cheering. From where she stood, Lucy could see a wiggling strand of Flare's hair threatening to attack poor, little Asuka. Lucy tried to call a warning, but Flare wrapped her hair around Lucy's mouth and slammed her into the ground.
"Don't make a sound. This is an order." Flare told her. "I don't know what might happen if you disobey...no matter how much of a dimwitted blonde you are."
Lucy knew it was dirty. It was a low blow and completely unfair.
"Don't make a sound. Don't make a move. Don't use magic. If you disobey me, who knows what'll happen?" Flare said.
Lucy didn't know what she could do to save Asuka and, therefore...took the beating. Flare attacked her again and again, knocking Lucy around. Fearing for Asuka, Lucy didn't say a word, didn't fight back. Rette knew something was up. Lucy, though not the strongest member of their guild, was not this big of a push over. When Flare completely tied Lucy up and threatened to brand Raven Tail's emblem over Lucy's Fairy Tail emblem, Rette started searching for the cause for why Lucy would allow herself to be pushed around.
Rette locked onto it just as Natsu came flying toward them across the stands, yelling.
"Rette...it's Asuka!" Natsu yelled.
Rette's eyes found the red stand of hair. With a snap of her teeth in anger, Rette surged forward, grabbing the strand. She yanked it into her right hand, the strand instantly crystallizing. How dare she attack a child who couldn't even defend herself! Her anger flaring, Rette's fingers flexed around the crystallized hair. It shattered and crumbled away in her hand. Everyone turned to Rette in shock as she stomped one booted foot down on the pieces of crystallized hair, grinding it under her heel.
"Why is that in a place like this!?" Makarov asked.
"Lowly, underhanded..." Rette growled, her muttering low as she shot a glare down towards Flare.
Rette had never been one to fight fair in a fight when it was just her and no one else on her side to get hurt, but even she wouldn't stoop as low as to attack a defenseless child or to hold such a threat of another's head. It was lower than low, and Rette could hit pretty low.
Flare was shocked that they had caught on to her. Natsu, on the other hand, turned to Lucy now that Asuka was safe.
"Lucy! Now's your chance!" he yelled.
Lucy summoned Gemini to break free and had Gemini transform into her. Since the last time they copied her, Lucy had been about to get into the bath, the two transformed into Lucy dressed in nothing but a towel. Of course, the males in the crowd loved it.
"If Gemini changes into Erza or Laxus, it'd be unbeatable, right?" Jet asked.
"They can only copy someone with magical power close to their own." Rette told him.
"What's she trying to do, turning herself into two people?" Max asked.
Nab got annoyed as Bijiter started dancing his "Dance of Excitement". Rette waved her right hand and a fist sized chunk of crystal fell on Bijiter's head, effectively cutting off his dance. She turned her attention back to the match.
"I have a feeling we're about to find out what she has planned." Rette remarked.
Below, Lucy and Gemini joined hands, chanting the same spell.
"Measure the heavens, open them wide, all the stars of heaven. Overflowing with light, make thyself known to me. O Tetrabiblos...for I hold dominion over the stars. Complete thy aspect...Release thy malevolent gate. Eighty-eight of all the heavens...shine. Urano Metria!"
It was the ultimate spell of the stars and heavens. It was a spell that, even with Lucy's current magic level, could completely end this match in one blow. And Lucy would have succeed, if it wasn't for outside interference. Rette's head whipped towards the members of Raven Tail. She could feel a voiding magic coming from one of it's members. A magic that completely nullified Lucy's spell, leaving her with no more magic energy to use. Completely wiped of magic energy, Lucy's legs gave and she hit the ground.
"Ohh...Lucy is down! The match is over! The victor is Raven Tail's Flare Corona!" Chapati announced.
Rette turned to look at Makarov, her eyes flashing with anger.
"Master...one of her teammates nullified Lucy's magic. I could sense it." Rette told him.
"Those guys are dirty!" Romeo snapped.
"Ivan...are you hoping for a brawl outside!?" Makarov growled.
Laughter and jeering cheers sounded from the crowd, the people mocking Fairy Tail A for their complete failure on the first day. Natsu got Lucy, helping her up and carting her off the field. The second match of the day featured Blue Pegasus' Ren verses Mermaid Heel's Arania. Ren won the match, claiming that he couldn't stand to look uncool in front of his girlfriend. The third match was Quatro Cerberus' War Cry verses Sabertooth's Orga. It only took Orga one hit in less than a minute, to put War Cry out of the fight. And afterward, he sang a horrible song that, for some odd reason, the crowd loved.
The last match, had Rette heaving a sigh.
Jellal verses Jura.
Once again, Rette had a feeling of foreboding. She knew this was going to end badly. She had learned, in three months, that Jellal could go a little over board when in front of Erza. Mavis made a doubtful look.
"You don't have to make a face like that, First!" Makarov assured her. "That man also held the same title in the past...so it'd be fair to say that their abilities are on par."
"I...I need to go to the restroom..."
Rette turned to look at Mavis as she said this, blinking. Just when she thought her guild couldn't get any stranger, they now had a spirit that apparently felt the need to pee. Would the strangeness ever end? Down in the arena, the match started. Jellal unbuckled the strap that currently held several magic staffs on his back, and attacked with those staffs just as Mystogan would have. Rette was only slightly surprised that Jellal was able to perfectly copy Mystogan's magic.
Jura countered the attack by making pillars of earth shot up at Jellal's feet. Jellal moved quickly to avoid them and Jura had more come at him when he jumped into the air. Jellal twisted, avoiding the collision with the pillars of earth. He tossed his staffs, the five forming a circle around Jura.
"Five layered magic circle: Sacred Song!"
Jura saved himself and countered with a fist of earth. Jellal used a spell to reverse the fist's path back at Jura, who reversed it back. The attack landed, sending Jellal flying back. He caught himself and just as Rette thought, Jellal could no longer stick to just Mystogan's magic. He used his Meteor spell to move fast, bouncing off walls before coming straight for Jura. Jura tried to block but Jellal was too fast and he managed to land a hit on Jura. Jura tried to pin Jellal down and almost succeed, but couldn't quite land a blow. In all his evasive maneuvers, Jellal revealed that he had been laying his Grand Chariot spell.
Jura countered with his Rock Mountain spell. Rette was pretty sure that Jura, at least, had figure out who Jellal was. It was then that Jellal moved into a stance she knew. He had taught it to her when she was mixing Heavenly Body magic with her Light of Creation magic. He was going to cast his greatest spell; Sema. This would really reveal him to the everyone present. Just as the clouds started to spiral over head, Jellal suddenly snapped both hands over his mouth, as if his tongue was on fire, and then he started laughing, as if someone was tickling him.
Rette had a pretty good idea on what was going on. She was pretty sure that Ultear and Meledy with her Sensory Link, were involved. Whatever Ultear was doing to Meledy, it put Jellal out of the match, leaving Jura to win by default. Just when she was sure the opinion of Fairy Tail couldn't get any lower, Rette was proven wrong. She heaved a sigh as all of her guild mates stared in horror. With this lost, both Fairy Tail team occupied the last two spots on the score board.
Day One ended in nothing but pure disaster.
-0-0-0-0-
"So pathetic...we've lined up everyone in Fairy Tail...and what losers you all are!"
"Cana...you're in Fairy Tail, too."
Cana, already half way to be drunker than she should be, looked up at Rette who sat across the table from her. The whole guild had retreated to a pub near to their lodgings and now sat in there, drinking and eating. Despite having lost Day one, everyone seemed in pretty good spirits.
"Yeah. You're talking awfully big for someone that was too busy touring the bars around here to come cheer for us." Elfman said.
"I was watching! All the bars have lacrimavision installed, you know." Cana replied.
"That really doesn't make the fact that you were drinking instead of being at the event, any better, Cana." Rette told her.
"Oh, shut up and have a drink!" Cana replied, shoving a mug towards Rette.
"No thanks." Rette replied, pushing the mug away.
"You're too stiff, Rette! You need to loosen up!" Cana insisted.
"I don't need to drink to loosen up. Besides...I'm not a big fan of the person I become when drunk." Rette told her.
"I am! You're hilarious!" Cana declared.
"Gee...thanks."
Rette had found out a long time back after Cana had insisted she had at least one drink with her, that she was what Cana called, an "emotional drunk". Meaning that Rette spilled every little emotion when drunk. If she wasn't hanging off someone's neck telling them every emotion that she felt, she was throwing herself at others, telling them how much she loved them. Rette hated it and had decided that alcohol wasn't for her.
Who knew what someone could talk her into when she was drunk.
"But it was quite the first day, huh." Erza remarked.
"Yeah...we both have to try our best starting tomorrow." Mira agreed.
"It's going to be my turn tomorrow! I'll definitely turn things around!" Natsu yelled.
Rette decided to focus on her food and making sure that Cana didn't try to slip her any alcohol. Given Cana's fascination with Rette's drunken state, she didn't put it past Cana to slip her something. Soon Gray and Lucy, all better after their defeat, joined the others.
"Listen up, brats. Today's defeat is the seed for tomorrow's victory! We'll rise up and show them all, won't we! We don't know the meaning of giving up! Our goal is number one in Fiore!" Makarov announced, the others cheering along.
After that, it was just as any other day back in their guild hall. People ate and drank, Gray stripped naked and got into an argument with Gajeel, and everyone enjoyed their time together. Natsu got into a fight with Max, and won, leaving Max on the floor, his pants around his knees. Natsu challenged the others.
"Interesting...I'll be your opponent." Gajeel offered.
"Leave it be...if it's you and Natsu, it won't be fun anymore." Laxus told him.
Gajeel turned to Laxus and, in a mocking way, started patting Laxus on the head.
"Oh oh...you've become such a peace loving guy, Laxus." Gajeel mocked.
Levy grabbed Gajeel around the waist trying, and failing, to pull Gajeel away before he got himself hurt. Freed tried to jump to Laxus' defense, not that he needed it, but both Evergreen and Bixlow had already been rendered unconscious in a drinking contest against Cana. Cana, already drunk off her ass, was then approached by a member of Quatro Cerberus who challenged her to a drinking contest. Already being too drunk to see straight, Cana lost and the guy, who was revealed to be Bacchus, took her top as a prize. Macoa and Wakaba tried to get it back and ended up getting laid out by Bacchus' drunken movements.
Rette decided that then was the best time to bow out. Leaving the others at the pub, Rette decided to go and see how Wendy and Carla were fairing. When she reached the infirmary, she knocked on the door.
"Come in." came Porlyusica's voice.
Rette pushed the door open and stepped into the room, Thyme on her shoulder as always.
"Excuse me. I just wanted to check and see how Wendy and Carla are faring." Rette said, before spotting Carla awake. "Oh, Carla, you're awake. I'm glad."
Thyme jumped off Rette's shoulder and rushed over to the stool where Carla sat. She climbed up, happily taking Carla's paws in her, relieved to see the other exceed alright.
"They are doing fine." Porlyusica told Rette.
"I see. Thank you very much for your help." Rette said politely, bowing her head to the old woman.
Rette then turned to Carla. She could tell instantly that something was wrong with her.
"What's wrong, Carla? You looked worried." Rette remarked.
Carla glanced up at her. For someone who was usually oblivious, Rette had her moments when she was as sharp as a whip. But Carla really didn't want to worry anyone. Especially not Rette who took any possible threats to her guild mates as her mission to exterminate the possible cause.
"It's nothing. I'm still tired." Carla told her.
Rette's eyebrow furrowed in a sign that she didn't completely buy that, but she didn't say anything. Carla was grateful for that. Instead Rette's eyes turned to Wendy, who was asleep, before turning to Porlyusica.
"How's Wendy doing?" Rette asked.
"She'll be fine. She just needs rest." Porlyusica told her.
"I knew you would be the perfect person to look after her. Thank you so much for your assistance." Rette told her.
"It's nothing to thank me for." Porlyusica said sourly.
Unlike with most people, Porlyusica didn't feel the need to be snippy with Rette. She had done so the first few times meeting Rette, but Rette simply didn't react to it and refused to be budged just because someone was being sour. Not to mention that Rette was nothing but polite to Porlyusica, treating her with respect. It was a little hard to keep up the act when the other person didn't notice it in the first place. Porlyusica looked over at Rette as she watched Wendy, her arms crossed lightly over her stomach. Upon looking closely at the girl, Porlyusica noticed something that everyone had been over looking.
"Have you been sleeping properly?" Porlyusica demanded suddenly.
Rette's eyebrows went up as she turned her head towards Porlyusica. Though it wasn't noticeable to most people, the old woman could tell there were dark circles under Rette's eyes. Not to mention, there was a strain to the set of her mouth that wasn't usually there.
"I don't sleep well in different places and I didn't really get sleep last night. It's nothing. I'll probably fall right to sleep tonight." Rette replied.
Something about that smelled like a lie to Porlyusica, but because of the natural indifferent look that Rette always boosted, she couldn't nail it down for sure. Rette wasn't giving any hints either. Porlyusica made a "hmp" noise before turning back to mixing whatever potion she was mixing. Rette turned to Carla and Thyme.
"As I said, I simply wanted to check in. I am pleased to see you up and better, Carla. Please keep an eye on Wendy." Rette said.
Carla nodded. Thyme gave Carla a smile and squeezed her paws once before hopping off the stool and running over to Rette. Rette bent over, letting the little silver exceed jump up onto her shoulder.
"We'll take our leave now. Rest up, Carla and thank you again, Porlyusica."
With that, Rette turned and headed for the door. She stopped when Thyme tugged on a strand of her hair. Rette turned her head to look at the little cat. Thyme pressed a paw to her chest before gesturing back towards Carla and Wendy. Rette turned her eyes to Porlyusica.
"Thyme would like to know if you would allow her to stay here with Carla." Rette told the old woman.
Porlyusica looked at Thyme. While she wasn't a big fan of humans, she didn't mind the exceeds. Thyme was just as polite as Rette could be and she was quiet. Porlyusica nodded her head once, giving her permission. Rette sat Thyme on the ground, wished her good night and turned to leave again. She closed the door behind her and started off down the hall, only her own footsteps echoing off the walls to accompany her. Rette actually felt pretty good about leaving Thyme with Carla and Wendy. She would let Rette know when Wendy woke up.
As Rette headed out onto the streets of the city, walking her way back to Honeybone, cheers and celebrations for the end of the first day, rang out around her. People passed her, laughing and chatting, others sharing drinks at outdoor cafes. It was a peaceful scene, but, nonetheless...Rette felt uneasy. She had learned, a while back, that in her guild, peace like this didn't last long before there was some grand adventure or enemy for them to endure.
Whatever it was that made Rette uneasy, she was sure they would deal with it. Fairy Tail never gave in, right? Just like she knew the sun would rise the next day, she knew, without a doubt in her mind, that somehow, someway, they would find a way to win the tournament and regain the glory their guild mates deserved.
And Rette would play her part.
END
Kyandi: Another chapter done.
Rette: And she has a few more waiting for final editing before she post them.
Kyandi: Yeah. I got a little ahead of myself and already had half of the Games planned out.
Rette: And don't forget, everyone, to go check out Kyandi-sama's drawings.
Kyandi: Please do, and please let me know what you think of them. And don't forget that there is a spoiler for who Rette's love interest in this story line is going to be.
Rette: With that, we'll be wrapping up.
Kyandi: Everyone enjoy and review and go view the pictures.
Rette: We'll be back shortly.
Kyandi: Bye-bye!